Culinary implement.



I. SUTHERLAND.

CULINARY IMPLEMENT. APPLICATION man FEB-5,1917- 1,26j2,404. Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

UNITED STATES-PATENT ()FFICE.

JOHN sU'rnnn'LANn, or SPRINGER," NEW MEXICO.

" CULINARY IMPLEMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Application filed February 5, 1917. Serial Ilo. 146,823.

This invention relates to tools, and more particularly to culinary implements of the type designed to be use for the removal of closures, caps, tops, Or the like of various kinds of containers.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a substantial, inexpensive and practical device, whereby various covers, caps, closures, etc., may be readily,

quickly and easily removed from the containers on which they may be mounted, and

a further object of the invention is to pro vide means for the ready adjustment of the implement so that it may be applied to the eflective opening of covers, tops, etc., of cans, bottles, or containers of various diameters and sizes. i a

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination tool or culinary implement in which the parts may be readily detached for renewal or replacement and so that they may be cleaned and kept in a good sanitary condition.

A further object of the presentinvention is to provide a tool having an adjustable member therein which may be utilized for the removal of tops, or closures of cans by the cutting or severing thereof from the top end of the can to be opened, and which 1 member is also provided for use in the opening or removal of various clamps, closures, or other devices which are frictionally secured in position upon containers which are to be opened.

' With these and otherobjects in View the r invention consists of the novel'tool, the com bination .of parts, details of-construction, and arrangement of the elements as more particularly hereinafter described and shown in'the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure .1 is a. planview of the improved tool showing the opener member adjusted in an intermediate position along the length of 7 r F 3 is-adapted to be:sh1fted longitudinally along the channel 1 so. as to billlgilt bllt the tool. j 1 a i Fig. .2 is an edge view fthe'implement Fig. '3 is an end view looking toward the upper end of Fig. 1. V Fig. 4 is a section on lifie l4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 2

lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the main frame or body of the implement, and

Fig. 7 is'a detail view showing in edge elevation the adjustable closure or top removing member with a portion of its actuating screw connected thereto.

In the form of my invention herein disclosed, 1 represents a substantial body portion of suitable length and width and having a sufficient thickness to be rigid and stiff and adapted to withstand the strains to which it will be subjected in the removal of various closures from containers which are to be opened, and, as shown in Fig. 6, the body portion consists of a substantially oblong, narrow element which is longitudinally slotted from one face to the other to form a groove or channel 1 extending substantially the length of the body member 1, and which is widened at its intermediate portion 1". Slidably adjustable along the forward and reduced end of the body 1 there is provided a transverse plate or opener member 3 which,

asshown in Fig. 5, is notched onits oppositeedges at 3* to snugly fit upon the body portion 1 and move longitudinally along the same, the plate 3 standing perpendicularly y from the sides of the body 1 and projecting from its upper and lOWer surfaces. One end or projecting side of the member 3 is provided with a cutting edge at 8 which is shown as curved and extending from adjacent one surface of the body 1 upwardly and outwardly, the curved edge providing for the ready cutting of a metallic or other top of a can or the like which is to be opened. When the device is applied to the can in such manner that a pivot or fulcrum point 10 provided in the smaller end of the body 1 is forced through the metallic can top or other closure to be opened, the plate 3 is turned in an are about the fulcrum or pivot point as a center. f v

For the purpose of providing for the practical and ready opening of cans having meabout the pivot point .10 and when these covers are of various diameters, the member the center about which the implementmay be swung to cause the cutter edge 3 to sever the material in an arc abou't th'e center. In"

the present form of the invention this adjustm'ent of the member 3 with'relation to the, pivotal point 10 is secured through means of a screw l'which is rigidly-secured in the central portion ofthe member 3 and extends longitudinally and centrallythrough and within the channel 1 of the body portion 1 of the implement, the screw being provided with a nut 6 which is of diameter slightly less than the transversely widened portion 1 of the slot or' channel 1 in the body member andis adapted to be turned, therein on, the screw and is held by the shoulders of the-transverse slot 1 against longitudinal movement with the screw, the :rsulting action being that the screw 4 is" projected forwardly or reai'lwardly along the, channel 1* carrying the closure opening' device 3 with. it to the desired point with relation to the pivot point '10 at theqend of" the member 1. "The lower or broadened end of the body member 1 is provided with covering sections or cheek plates 2-2 which maybe riveted or otherwise secured to the" v body member 1 to givea convenient gripping portion to the implement, and also. for/the purpose of closing the lower end iof'they channel 1 in the thicken d or widenedpor tion of the body 1.. In assembling or de- 1 taching the device with the plates 2 removed from one or the other of the sidesof the body 1, the screw with its opening member 3thereon is adjusted in the lower portiony' I of the slot 1 with the member 3 alined with [the transverse or widened portion 1 of the slot l so, that the recesses 3 inthe opposite edges of the opener member 0 are alined vwith theshoulders of the channel at 1, thus permitting the member 3 to be slid for wardly in guided and mounted relation on the "upper end of the body member 1, the screw lying withinjthe channel 1 "When the opener member 3 has been advanced tow'ard its upper lin'iit of movement in the jchannel 1 the nut 6 is then dropped into the opening Or pocketl provided therefor and fthe jlower ,end ofthe screw is then drawn backwardly intothe nut and the latter turned to engage the threads thereof after which the longitudinal p'ositiono'f the screw '1 tiw th its opener member or transverse head 3 may be adjusted at any desired position I a e lOfigitndiiia lly {along the "upper fand con- {tractedportionof thefmember l. Thescrew j a'ndthe nut device therefore maybe ren'ioved time desired when the handles 2, or

oneofthem; are removed from position upon the body 1.

. and in order to preventunnecessarilyfiinarring or in urlng' covers of ars, cans, glasses,

justable"relatively t0 the handle 1 offithe implement so that: in removing-"coversof relatively large: diameter the claw can be remesa i04- are vfrictionally locked in position upon conitainers, one end of the transverse member 3 carriedby the screw is shown in Figs. 2

and 7 as provided with an upwardly and iniwardly. tn-rned hook portion 3 which may be applied beneath the lower edge of the cap or other frictional closure to. beret-loved,

or the "like which are: :fric-tionallyvheld in position on the containers, it is desirable that the flitting. claw or member 39 be' ad tracted from the outer end of the-implement to a -pos1t1on, for instanceas shown in Figs.

1 and 2, and then whenthe face of the body member :1 adj acent; to the hook or claw-like portionsof the opener 3 is ap'jaliedtdthe. top i'ace'of the cover and the hook 3 adjusted inwardly against the floweredge of the coverror clamping element, when pressure is applied to thegrip portion of theihandle the large area-tot the latter: resting-upon the handle serves't'o enable the'upward pressure of the claw 3" against the edge of the-cover without indentingzor marring the top sur- 'face ofthe cover in any substantial degree.

To give further utilitytorthe pres antimplement the grip portion otthe handle 1 is jP1'OVldGCl at one of its corners with a recess -or upocket 1 into Which-there may be= inserted a suitable cutter as a disk=11- which may be utilizedtoicutglass,'andwreserve or extra cutters arez'ad'aptedi to be contained in a chamber "or pocket 11 formed .for' such purpose in a suitable iportion" Of thBWlOOdY member I, thispocket being covered by the side or cheek plates 2-2 Yof the implement "when theseare' mountediinzposition;

' It isunderst oodf that the-closure removing member 3'may'b'e of any-suitable "form 7 when the cuttingedge 3P: orrithe cap :engaging hook I portion 3 ithereof'become injured or dull; and "further it isr'nnderstood that the grip forming side .piecesi'or'icheek"plates 22 may be applied to the main-"body 'pon "tionl in any suitable manneri so a's't'o provide for the" ready:remoyaliiandfLreattach- -1-nent of these memberstouthebody l so as to permit the readyfmounitingt and: detaching-30f the screw witlr its riut;andialso to provide ready ac'cess to'mextrawcutters. 11

which maybe placed in the f pocket' llr provided therefor.

11 iFrom the' foregoing it- "wil-l=be :seen that I have provided a ready and sinipler nfieans "for the adjustment Ofiijlle' member 3 '1Which may be utilized to remove covers of difierent types from containers of various size, and particularly I have provided means for positively and firmly holding the closure removing member 3 at any of its respective positions along the handle 1 to which it may be desired to adjust it to enable its use for the removal of closures of different sizes from their respective containers. It is understood that various modifications, alterations, and changes in the structure of the implement may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention and limitation of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A closure removing device comprising a fiat body portion slotted substantially from end to end and having attached handle plates at one end and a screw movable longitudinally in and wholly within said slot and carrying a cutter projecting perpendicularly from one side of the body, said cutter supporting the screw at one end on the body, the handle plates covering and supporting the other end of the screw, the walls of the slot laterally notched and a nut of said screw projecting into the opposite notches.

2. A tool comprising a longitudinally slotted fiat body, the slot widened on each side at about midway its length, handle plates at one end of the body, a nut in the widened part of the slot, a screw between copies or this patent may be obtained for the mouths of the slot movable by the nut longitudinally in the slot and supported at one end in said handle, a cutter secured on the other end of the screw, projecting from and sliding on said body, the nut removable from the screw when the latter is fully advanced and the screw bein removable from the body when the hand e plates are detached and the cutter registers with the widened part of the slot.

3. A can opener comprising a flat longitudinally slotted body, having a punch at one end, the slot being laterally widened midway its ends; a nut fitting the widened portion of the slot and of greater diameter than the'thickness of the body, a screw dis posed lengthwise in the slot, and between the faces of said body and threaded in the nut, an edged blade fixed on the screw, and handle plates secured to said body and extending from one side of the nut to the end five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of l'atentl,

Washington, D. 0. 

